The present invention relates to a method and to a system for navigating objects through predetermined loitering paths. The invention is particularly useful for navigating aircraft through predetermined loitering paths (e.g., a circular loitering path) with respect to a central or ground station, and is therefore described below in connection with this application, but it will be appreciated that the invention could advantageously be used to navigate other objects (e.g., ships), and through other loitering paths (e.g., elliptical).
Generally speaking, two types of navigating systems are presently in use. In one type of system the object being navigated continuously triangulates its own position between two differently-located transmitters. In the second type, the navigated object is continuously supplied with azmuth and range data identifying its position from a fixed ground station. These known systems are quite satisfactory in cases for navigating individual objects, e.g., aircraft, which maintain continuous contact with the ground stations in order to keep continuous track of their positions. However, when one or more aircraft are being navigated through a specific loitering path, the systems presently in use become very complicated and expensive, and require considerable expertise to operate.